“The Reluctant Soul Winner”

( From the life of Jonah )

Greatest Privilege for any believer to lead someone to Jesus.... to the cross Second .... is to help disciple the new believer

• Help them get saved / Born Again
• Get them filled with Holy Spirit
• Help them get planted in Church
• Show them how to feed on scripture daily

2 Pet 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is long-suffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

Steps to spreading the Gospel Matt 12:39-41 But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah

For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here

• Jesus’ death, burial & resurrection .... in the heart of the earth! Fire ��
• Just like Jesus... Jonah was called to go to the lost

God wants to reach the world through “imperfect” people like Jonah. Jonah 1:1-5 Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.”

But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. vs 3 But the Lord sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up. vs 4 .....But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep. 6 Steps ( Keys ) to Soul Winning G - Go ————————————— Jonah 1:1-2

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” O - Overcome = ( fear, insecurities, .... anything that would cause you to neglect or disobey ) Acts 4:29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word. Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness. S - Surrender to God’s Purposes Jonah 1:17 Now the Lord had prepared a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights. Jonah 2:1 Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the fish's belly —-vs 1 P - Perspective— see people from God’s view —— Jonah 2:8-10 Matt 9:36-38

But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.”

E - Engage ———- build bridges with people who don’t know Jesus yet. God Speaks same instructions again Jonah 3:1-3 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the second time, saying, “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and preach to it the message that I tell you.” So Jonah arose and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD.——3 Prov 11:30 The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, And he who wins souls is wise. L - Lift up your eyes———- and see the Harvest fields John 4:35 Do you not say, “There are still four months and then comes the harvest’? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest! Quote: Love will always find a way… Indifference will always find an excuse In Canada… evangelism only happens if it is intentional. What we learn from the life of Jonah: God gives us another chance God gives our City another opportunity God rewards even reluctant faith God is already at work in our city—- ( prayers & efforts of former generations ) Jn 4:37-38

For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’ I sent you to reap that for which you have not laboured; others have laboured, and you have entered into their labours.” God will use us … regardless of imperfections God wants us to have a vision for our City